


Challenge Accepted

by Lynn_Forster



Series: SoC One Shots - Slices of life after Crooked Kingdom [1]
Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Introspection, M/M, Post-Book 2: Crooked Kingdom, Post-Canon Fix-It, TheCharacterYouKnowIsAlive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:09:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23109775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lynn_Forster/pseuds/Lynn_Forster
Summary: "Inej, please, be honest: do you regret something? Do you want something… something different, speaking of… us?"Two years have passed since Crooked Kingdom events and the Crows are together again, sharing cute moments in Van Eck's manor.Observing their friends and the "lovers' stuff" they do, Inej and Kaz end up having a conversation about their own relationship.USUAL WARNING: English is not my first language, I just try to do my best.
Relationships: Inej Ghafa & Nina Zenik, Jesper Fahey/Wylan Van Eck, Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa, Matthias Helvar/Nina Zenik
Series: SoC One Shots - Slices of life after Crooked Kingdom [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1662850
Comments: 5
Kudos: 54





	Challenge Accepted

**Author's Note:**

> The Author’s Corner: Here I am with some fluff. The first part of the story focuses a bit on Inej’s relationships with her companions, while the second part is about Kanej the way I see them.  
> I personally love the idea of them being lovers without doing “lovers' stuff”, it’s a different and rare kind of romantic relationship, which, in my opinion, needs more representation.  
> This is just my idea of Kanej, I hope you’ll like it.
> 
> Ps: This One Shot can be considered a short prequel to my story “The Lost Goddess”.  
> I wish to thank Amitye, who corrected my work. I love you so much.

Inej was quietly staring at the empty fireplace, sat on one of the large sofas in Van Eck’s living room.  
The entire house was peaceful and silent – that meant Jesper and Wylan hadn’t come back yet – and that lovely silence let her getting lost in her thoughts.  
Suddenly, Nina’s voice reached her ears, muttering: - I’m bored, these days.  
She turned her glance to her friend, smiling: Nina was sitting on Matthias’ lap, her legs spreading over the sofa, her feet resting on the young Suli captain’s knees.  
Her buxom and generous body was wrapped in a red silky dress, which followed the curve of her baby bump.  
\- Do you want to do something? – asked Inej, starting to massage the other girl’s feet.  
Nina moaned: - I am bored but also lazy. I want to follow you guys, during your missions, but I’d also sleep all over the day.  
\- It is completely understandable, my love – Matthias whispered, placing his large hand on her bump, in a protective manner.  
The Grisha gave him a malicious smile: - It’s your fault – she said, laughing a bit when he blushed. She cupped his face with her hands and started to kiss his lips.  
Inej smiled, caressing her friend’s ankle and leaning back on the sofa, closing her eyes, but, suddenly, two extremely loud laughs broke that peaceful moment.  
Wylan ran into the living room, chased by Jesper, who soon caught him from behind, lifting him up.  
\- Jes! – the redhead screamed, almost breathless. – Put me down!  
\- I am sorry, merchling – the Zemeni said, tightening his grip on his boyfriend’s waist. – I’m afraid I will never release you. And now…  
He made them both fall on the opposite sofa, landing over the younger boy: - Tickling!  
Wylan cried and laughed, struggling beneath him: - No! No, Jes, stop! Stop, you fucking asshole!  
The Zemeni caught the redhead’s wrists, leaning his forehead on the other one’s: - I am very disappointed, Wy, you shouldn’t use this language in front of the baby.  
\- The baby hears a worse language everyday – Nina replied, touching her own belly, while Matthias hid a laugh on her collarbone.  
\- Well, well, he shouldn’t even use this language in front of my little sister – Jesper added, winking at Inej. – I have to clean your filthy mouth now, merchling. With my even filthier mouth.  
Inej shook her head, smiling, while the two boys started to kiss passionately, as if there wasn’t anyone in the room except from them.  
Nina yawned, cuddling against Matthias and closing her eyes: - I need to sleep a bit, again. Wake me up when Marya will be back from the bakery shop. She promised me a ton of biscuits.  
\- We will – Inej promised, moving gently her friend’s feet from her lap to stand up.  
She suffocated a laugh, giving a quick glance to Jesper and Wylan, then she leaned to kiss Nina’s head and touched Matthias’ shoulder, smiling at him: - I’m going to see what is our lonely crow doing, upstairs.  
The Fjerdan smiled back and nodded, holding his girlfriend close.  
Inej left the room, her heart filled with affection. She loved them all, they were her best friends, her family. She was so happy they were together again, sharing meaningful moments of their lives.  
They were part of her own soul and they would have been forever. 

There was a large window in the bedroom Kaz occupied when Wylan and Jes hosted them.  
The young man stood in front of it, staring silently at the large garden outside, both his hands on the knob of his cane.  
Inej entered the room in a quick and light walk, approaching him from behind, a cunning grin on her face.  
She stretched her hand, slowly, almost reaching the black fabric of his shirt… and then, he turned back with a brusque movement, catching her wrist with his gloved hand.  
\- Heard you, this time – he said. – Maybe you’re losing your stealth, Wraith.  
Inej raised her dark eyes to the ceiling: - I just made things a little easier for you. I can’t always win, it would be boring.  
\- Sure – he replied, releasing his grip. – I absolutely believe you.  
The Suli girl shook her head, her lips curved in a smile. She placed by his side and started looking out of the window.  
They stood there, together, side by side, for a while. A pleasant silence surrounded them.  
Suddenly, Inej felt Kaz’s little finger catching her own, followed by the gentle touch of his thumb, that started rubbing the skin of her wrist.  
\- You seem to be… pensive, these days, Inej.  
He never asked her directly how she was or if there was something wrong.  
The young captain sighed, a little smile on her face: - I’m thinking that I love being with our friends again. I love we’re here, together. And I love… I love to see them happy and satisfied with their lives. Sometimes, I think I could just sit and stare at them, observing things they do, even small and stupid things: Jesper chasing Wylan around the house, Nina waiting for Marya’s biscuits, Matthias blushing when Nina teases him… the way they take care of each others, or the way they…  
\- Love each other – Kaz finished.  
Inej frowned, while he took both of her hand into his, making her turning to stand face to face.  
\- Inej, please, be honest: do you regret something? Do you want something… something different, speaking of… us?  
\- Kaz…  
The girl sighed, raising a single corner of her mouth: - I admit that, sometimes, I start thinking about this, when I see our friends doing… well, doing what lovers usually do. I ask myself how would it be. But I swear, on my knives, I could never have any regret. Things between us, our feelings, aren’t different from theirs. We don’t need to show it physically. We both know. I know. And that’s enough.  
Kaz curved his lips in a little smile, fixing a dark lock of her hair behind her ear: - If I got half of your wisdom, along with my amazing cleverness, I would probably be the king of the world.  
\- Better you haven’t got it, then – she teased, placing her forehead against his chest.  
She shivered a bit when he kissed her head, sinking his lips into her hair.  
\- I’m afraid I can’t give you more than this – he admitted.  
\- I know and it’s okay – she smiled, closing her eyes. –Speaking of myself, I am afraid I will never bear you any child.  
\- I know and it’s fantastic. I mean, children are terribly expensive, loud and annoying. I think having a child is a terrible investment.  
Inej let out a little laugh, raising her glance to stare into his eyes. Kaz’s index finger ran gently over her cheek.  
\- We don’t need all of this – she agreed. – Love can be shown in different ways. And even if it would be funny, sometimes, playing “Catch me”, we obviously don’t have to…  
\- Wait – Kaz interrupted her. – Who said we can’t do this?  
\- Well – she grinned maliciously. – I mean, it wouldn’t be fair, since you’ll never be able to catch me…  
Kaz’s eyes narrowed, his face approached hers until their lips were just a few inches apart. His smile turned into a cunning grin: - Challenge accepted.


End file.
